Some of Ireland's biggest stars - many of them Dubs - have signed up to play reel life characters in a variety of new movies this year.

They include the story of how the IRA staged an audacious jail break, the whistleblower who brought down a president and a queen who fought to rule.

A variety of the nation’s best-known actors are taking on the roles as Hollywood turns to scandals and dramas to attract cinema-goers.

Dublin actor Brendan Gleeson will soon come to our screens as a German war protestor in Alone In Berlin. The 61-year-old and co-star Emma Thompson play a couple based on real-life couple Otto and Elise Hampel.

Brendan Gleeson

When the working class, Berlin-based pair discovered a family member had died in action in France, they started a simple but effective method of protest denouncing Hitler and the Third Reich.

They left postcards all over the city calling on the public to refuse military service and overthrow Hitler, a move which eventually cost them their lives.

Gleeson’s not the only actor revisiting the Second World War as Jack Reynor will also star in a movie documenting a battle against the Nazis.

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American Made tells the tale of TWA pilot Barry Seal, who turned to drug smuggling in Central America before being recruited by the US Government to provide intelligence.

His role led to involvement with the notorious Medellin cartel, and ultimately the embarrassment of Ronald Reagan.

Cruise will play Seal and Gleeson will portray his CIA handler, Monty Schafer in the movie, which will be released later this year.

Tom Vaughan-Lawlor

Tom Vaughan-Lawlor will play the leader of an IRA gang who orchestrated the 1983 Maze prison breakout. Simply called Maze, the movie, released later this year, will revisit what was the largest ever breakout from a prison in Britain or Northern Ireland.

The movie, which also stars Rebellion’s Barry Ward, was shot in Cork, with the city’s old prison doubling for the Belfast site.

Brendan and Domhnall Gleeson (Image: Getty)

Colm Meaney portrays Martin McGuinness in The Journey. The film is a fictional drama about the friendship that developed between McGuinness and his opponent Ian Paisley during the Northern Ireland peace process. British actor Timothy Spall plays Paisley.

Ulsterman Liam Neeson has signed up to star in a fascinating film about Mark Felt. He was the legendary whistleblower known for years only as “Deep Throat”.